


Nemesis

by orphan_account



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Crystal - Fandom
Genre: Crystal Tokyo Era, Emetophobia, Mentions of emesis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 13:43:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6472285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following large scale destruction in a civil war lead by Death Phantom and several Earth people, his followers were captured and questioned. This lead to the capture of Death Phantom. He and his followers were brought to trial, judged by Sailors Metis and Themis. A jury of Earth's people decided upon the guilt of the Death Phantom and his followers. It was upheld by the twin Sailors of Justice. They were to be handed over to Sailor Nemesis to be punished.</p><p>Prior to the departure to Nemesis, Neo Queen Serenity visited the prisoners. When she went to speak to Death Phantom, she found him guarded by a woman cloaked in black, a hood pulled over her head, holding a staff bearing a wheel split with eight spokes...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nemesis

**Author's Note:**

> In a timeline where the R-through-Stars arcs never happened, Serenity, Endymion, and the Senshi have no idea what is to come. Chibi-Usa is, in that way, the most important child in Earth's history -- depending on whether she makes it to Earth of the past to find Sailor Moon, either Crystal Tokyo and the White Moon Family are lead to ruin, or Earth of the Future is saved. 
> 
> Being ignorant of what is to come, of course, judgements are made and things happen. This is what happens when Serenity meets Sailor Nemesis.

"Who goes there?"  
  
"Neo-Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, Earth. I wish to speak to the prisoner."  
  
The woman in the cloak briefly sank in a curtsy, the cloak opening to reveal long black boots, and a sailor uniform, the bodice and gloves pure white, with a black skirt, and black ribbons trailing from her back. The cloak concealed her chest and shoulders, her head covered by a hood.  
  
"Are you.... Sailor Nemesis?" Serenity asked, an unusually grim expression crossing her features as her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. The decision to send the prisoners to Nemesis had been made by the twin Sailors of Justice and Order, Themis and Metis. For all of Serenity's influence, there were some decisions even she had no ability to overturn. The sentence pronounced had been one of them.  
  
"I am, my Queen," the woman answered. "If you'll permit my saying so, I would recommend leaving this one to my care."  
  
A nod. This was the man who had brought such sorrow and destruction to a world that should have been peaceful. A world that should have been more... enlightened.  
  
"Please," said Serenity, her voice soft. "You don't have to release him. I merely wished... to ask him why." Why he had inflicted such horror on their world. Why he would do that to his own home. His own people.  
  
"You want to know why?" A gravelly male voice spoke from within the prison cell. Someone shrouded in a black cloak was sitting on the floor, cross legged. Upon speaking, he rose to his feet, taking a few steps towards the force field that enclosed his cell. He was silent for a moment as Serenity met his gaze -- and wished she hadn't when all she found were cold pits, like pools of blackened water, the depths of which she was sure she could easily drown in. He seemed to scan up and down her form, as if to take measure of her, briefly pausing on her swollen belly, the sign of her expectancy with her first child. Serenity glanced away first, her gaze falling upon his wrists. They were shackled with strange cuffs. As if noticing the Queen's questioning glance at the cuffs, a smirk creased the corners of the man's lips.  
  
"They are impervious to all attempts to remove or reverse-engineer them. Wearing them, I am little more than a pitiful, powerless human." A pause. "Just as you are without the crystal, am I right?"  
  
Serenity faltered for a second, her hand going to her chest as if to check for a brooch that she no longer wore. Then, frowning, she glanced up at the man in the cloak.  
  
"Just tell me why you have done this," she pleaded, something in her heart aching, longing for this to be a terrible nightmare. "That's all I ask."  
  
A harsh, nasal harrumph. The robed man turned away.  
  
"I thought it was explained at the trial?" He said, briefly glancing to the Queen.  
  
"I want to hear it from you," Serenity replied simply.  
  
"So be it." A pause, and then he spoke again. "Our people may never have truly suffered, but... for too long, we were conditioned to never question. Our voices, our questions, went unheard. To rule on the claim of vast power from a jewel... you do not think it is... suspect?"  
  
"In what way?"  
  
A gravelly, mirthless laugh. "Such innocence. You still don't see? That power... you subjugate the masses with it. They never think or realize that it is playing with their minds. That it makes them adore you without reason." The man shook his head within his robes. "I had many a sleepless night to think on it in a prison cell after my initial capture all those years ago for... what was it... oh yes, _inciting public disorder_. For speaking of my doubts, as heretical as I'm sure they are."  
  
Serenity, herself, had not given the order for his arrest. She only knew what had been in the briefing reports. "There was a riot," she pointed out, "you, yourself, were involved in the fighting. Lives could have been lost, and you think it was _your doubts_ that saw you imprisoned?"  
  
"Ah, yes, and I'm sure the police were only acting in the interests of the public," the man replied, smirking.  
  
"Of course they were!" Serenity insisted. How on earth could he think otherwise? "They do not operate on my orders!"  
  
"Perhaps not, but -- they still act on the laws you sign."  
  
This was getting them nowhere. Somehow, this Death Phantom seemed to have a way to turn the events back upon her and the decisions of her government. There had to be another way!  
  
Serenity's hand once more went to her chest, seeking a brooch that she had stopped wearing a long time ago. The Imperium Silver Crystal sat in a locked room, alongside the artefacts of her days as a warrior of love and justice. Yet, the crystal still held its power...  
  
"Will you not... allow me to offer you a fresh start?" Serenity asked slowly, hesitating even as she spoke. The judgement had been made. Interference might bring the hammer of justice upon her, but...  
  
"Ah, ever the merciful Queen," the man cooed, then snorted. "No, I'm afraid I must decline. I would rather face the fires of Nemesis than submit to that power and be brainwashed!"  
  
"Brainwashed...?"  
  
"Is that not it? Your power has everyone in its thrall, and they will follow you forever, but -- this," the man's face contorted in a sneer, eyes narrowing as he went on, his voice raising as he snarled, "this will not end here! Others will come for you and your empire!"  
  
He reached out one shackled hand as far as the cuffs would allow him, just barely far enough to avoid being shocked by the force field.  
  
"The very child in your womb will rise up against you!"  
  
Something like a kick against the inside of her stomach made Serenity's head spin, her breath catching in her throat, and she clutched her belly, as if to protect the life growing inside. A cold sweat dampened her forehead and arms like morning dew, a bitter taste rising in the back of her throat.  
  
"That's enough!" The woman guarding the cell -- Sailor Nemesis -- quickly stepped forward and slipped her arm around the Queen to steady her, a grimace visible under the hood. "Neo-Queen Serenity, with due respect, I ask you again to leave this one to the care of our people."  
  
Unable to answer, a feeling of heavy fullness in her stomach, as if she had swallowed lead, as if that fullness wanted to rise up from within her, Serenity merely nodded. There was no choice, if this man couldn't be saved.  
  
As if to read her mind, the young face beneath the hood softened slightly, and she rubbed the Queen's back.  
  
"Fear not, my Queen," said Nemesis gently. "The way of Nemesis is to correct the paths of those in our care. Perhaps one day, even this soul will be redeemed. It's just that it is not today."  
  
"Thank you," Serenity whispered, nodding.  
  
From nearby, a new voice spoke. "Queen? Are you all right?"

Footsteps approached, heels clacking on the floor. A fierce frown and piercing gaze leveled at the prisoner. The voice turned cold, a shiver running up Serenity's spine as the owner of the voice -- Sailor Venus -- spoke.

"What did you do to her?!"

The man in the cell studied Venus briefly, as if she were an interesting insect that had landed on his hand. "I? I did nothing. I am just a powerless old man, after all."

"Don't give me that," Venus snapped, one arm sliding across Serenity's back, her free hand lightly rubbing Serenity's belly. "I know what you're capable of."

Another pause from the man in the cell. "Such delicate things, minds and hearts," he said calmly. "A suggestion here, a few words there..."

"That's enough!" Nemesis barked, her eyes narrowing at the man in the cell. "The prisoner will be seated and silent!"

The robe just barely concealed the man's shrug and then, he settled on the floor, crossing his legs, watching the three women.

Serenity closed her eyes, resting her head on Venus's shoulder, head still spinning slightly. She slipped her arms around the other woman hesitantly, a frightened teenager all over again, just like all those years ago when she had found out who she was. Her face warmed at her own display of fragility, that a few words could send her to the arms of her guardians to hide. Surely it wasn't befitting a woman of her status. Serenity went to pull away, but Venus lightly rubbed her back.  
  
"It's OK," she heard Venus murmur softly. "You don't have to let go."  
  
There was silence, save for the sound of blood pounding in Serenity's ears, and breathing from Venus and Nemesis. Slowly, little by little, the spinning and noise in Serenity's head faded, her stomach relaxing from its preparations to heave it contents.  
  
Once Serenity had regained her posture, Nemesis slipped back out of the way, returning to her position in front of the cell.  
  
"Thank you," said Serenity, nodding to Nemesis, "for allowing me this time."  
  
Nemesis simply curtsied again. "My Queen."

Serenity turned her glance to the man in the cell. He was silent, save for his slow breathing, still sitting on the floor.  
  
Then, at last, Serenity tore her gaze away from the cell -- away from the man who had brought sorrow and destruction to Crystal Tokyo -- and turned to Venus.  
  
"What's next?"


End file.
